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Photo-induced degradation of single-use polyethylene terephthalate microplastics under laboratory and outdoor environmental conditions
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Researchers tested how sunlight, water, and physical wear work together to break down PET microplastics, the type commonly found in plastic bottles and food packaging. Over 60 days, combined UV light and water exposure caused significant chemical degradation of the plastic surfaces. This matters because as microplastics break down in the environment, they release smaller fragments and potentially harmful chemicals that are easier for organisms to absorb.
There is a lack of knowledge regarding the mechanisms that induce microplastic fragmentation and degradation within the environment. This research aimed to quantify the combined degradative effects that mechanical abrasion, in conjunction with photo-oxidation and hydrolysis, have on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics. To accomplish this, common routes of degradation were evaluated. Degradation was assessed using three indices indicative of polymer degradation: the carbonyl index, carbon-to-oxygen index, and hydroxyl index. This study assessed the effects that mechanical abrasion (MA), photo-oxidation, and various simulated environmental conditions: aqueous (Aq), Aq + UV, and UV only within two distinct settings (laboratory vs. outdoor) have on PET microplastic degradation. Photo-oxidation exposure across a 60-day period induced significant degradation on PET microplastics, resulting in a 1%-22% increase in carbonyl groups across all treatments except UV and Aq + UV Chamber (MA). A 6-214% increase in hydroxyl groups across all treatments. A 1-10% decrease in carbon-to-oxygen groups in all treatments except the Chamber Aqueous and Outdoor UV (MA). Mechanical abrasion seemed to accelerate this degradation in combination with both UV and aqueous treatments. Using simulated environmental conditions to induce degradation on PET microplastics in both laboratory and simulated environmentally relevant settings revealed that the combined effects of hydrolysis and photo-oxidation can accelerate the process, especially in conjunction with mechanical abrasion. The novel findings presented here provide insight into the complex relationship between various polymer degradation pathways and the effects that mechanical abrasion can have on them while also providing additional data for an understudied yet prevalent plastic polymer.
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Scientists tracked how PET plastic, the material used in water bottles and clothing, develops cracks and eventually breaks into microplastics during exposure to UV light and water. Different forms of PET broke down in different ways and at different speeds, with water-submerged samples showing organized crack networks within 30 days. The study helps explain how everyday plastic products fragment into the microplastics found throughout the environment, with fibers being one of the most common shapes produced.
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Researchers subjected polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics to accelerated photoaging under simulated sunlight, characterizing changes in surface chemistry, crystallinity, and mechanical properties over time. Photoaging increased surface oxidation, reduced molecular weight, and enhanced the release of plastic additives, suggesting aged PET microplastics present greater chemical hazard than pristine particles.
Experimental investigations on polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate microplastics’ degradation. A review
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Researchers conducted experiments to study the physical and chemical behavior of polyethylene and PET microplastic particles under different environmental conditions. The study contributes to understanding how these plastics persist and transform in the environment.
Photodegradation of PET plastics produces persistent compounds that accumulate in sediments
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Researchers investigated the photodegradation of polyethylene terephthalate plastics and found that UV-driven breakdown produces persistent low-molecular-weight compounds that accumulate in sediments, raising concerns about the long-term chemical legacy of PET waste in aquatic environments.
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